Long ago, if you opened a new bank account or credit card, your bonus may have been a small kitchen appliance. These days, new credit cards generally won’t net you a toaster — but they do often come with the chance to earn a big signup bonus.
We’ve put together a list of some of the biggest and best bonuses around. While some signup bonuses come in the form of a lump-sum cash reward, a number of high-value bonuses come in the form of rewards points. Here, I’ll explore the best cards to earn a $200 to $500 (or more) credit card signup bonus. With that kind of money, you can buy a lot of toasters!
Since points and miles can have variable values depending on the program, we’ll take a look at some of the values for cash back redemption and direct travel (through the issuer).
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Navigate This Article:
Best Credit Cards with Signup Bonuses of $500+
Getting a signup bonus doesn’t mean you get the bonus when you open a credit card, that wouldn’t be very beneficial for issuers. Instead, you typically receive a certain amount of cash back, points, or miles once you reach a certain spending threshold with the card.
Credit cards with the highest-value signup bonuses often won’t provide flat cash bonuses, but instead offer rewards points with variable per-point value.
In the vast majority of credit card rewards programs, the maximum per-point value is obtained through travel redemption, either via the issuer’s shopping portal or by transferring credit card rewards to a partner hotel or airline loyalty program.
Consumer Credit Cards
As you might suspect, if you’re looking for a consumer credit card with a massive signup bonus, you’re going to be paying a fairly massive annual fee, too — about $450 to $550. Consumer credit cards with signup bonuses of more than $500 will also generally have moderate spending requirements, with most coming in between $3,000 and $4,000.
But you can still get a solid signup bonus without paying a big annual fee. Many great credit cards come with lower annual fees and still offer respectable signup bonuses valued at $500 or more.
4.7
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
21.49% – 28.49% Variable
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$550
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Good/Excellent
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Although it’s unlikely we’ll again see the six-figure bonus that the Chase Sapphire Reserve® came with at launch, the Ultimate Rewards points new cardholders can earn are still extremely valuable.
And those points can be worth even more when redeemed through Chase’s travel portal. The extra value is thanks to the 50% redemption bonus you get for being a Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholder.
You can also transfer your points to one of Chase’s 10+ airline and hotel partners to make your Ultimate Rewards points go even further.
4.9
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.49% – 27.49% Variable
|
$95
|
Good/Excellent
|
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the little sibling of the more expensive Chase Sapphire Reserve®, charging a smaller annual fee and offering fewer points per dollar spent.
However, while this card may earn fewer purchase rewards per dollar, it earns the same signup bonus as its sibling, netting new cardholders who reach the spending requirement some serious Ultimate Rewards® points.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders only receive a 25% travel redemption bonus (compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve®‘s 50% bonus) when redeemed through the Chase travel portal.
4.8
- For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
|
$95
|
Good/Excellent
|
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
The signup bonus for the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card pays in ThankYou® Points that have a range of potential values depending on how you redeem them. Redeemable options include cash back, gift cards, and pay-with-points redemptions.
The typical cash back value is 1¢ per point, meaning 75,000 points would be worth a whopping $750. For complete details about redemption rates, please be sure to review your card’s benefits guide for terms and conditions.
Business Credit Cards
You’ll have plenty of options for business credit cards with signup bonuses worth $500 or more, with both cash back and miles cards in the mix. Most will provide straightforward cash back rewards, but some will have methods for boosting the value of the signup bonus, as well.
4.7
- Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more – your points don’t expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% – 26.24% Variable
|
$95
|
Good/Excellent
|
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card earns rewards points, which can be redeemed for travel through Chase’s portal or — the more valuable option — transferred to a partner airline or hotel loyalty program.
When redeemed as cash back, your points are worth 1¢, meaning a bonus of 90,000 points would net you $900.
If you want to maximize the value of your rewards points, you can earn a 25% boost in per-point value when you redeem them for travel.
4.6
- Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of card membership
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, 1.5X points on business categories and purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million per calendar year, and 1X point for each dollar you spend on other purchases.
- Get up to $400 back per year toward U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies, up to $360 back per year for purchases with Indeed, and $120 back per year for wireless telephone service purchases on the Business Platinum Card, plus additional credits. Enrollment is required for all.
- Access to more than 1,400 lounges across 140 countries and counting with the American Express Global Lounge Collection®
- Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Business Platinum Card® Account.
- $695 Annual Fee
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
18.49% – 27.49% Pay Over Time
|
$695
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Excellent
|
The Business Platinum Card® offers Membership Rewards® points for its signup bonus, and the highest amount we’ve seen is 200,000. But that offer also comes with a large spending requirement.
If you redeemed 200,000 Membership Rewards® points for cash back, you would net $1,200. However, if transfer those rewards to a hotel or airline partner, you could boost their value by 50% or more.
As with Amex consumer credit cards, signup bonuses for American Express business credit cards can only be earned once per product per lifetime.
4.6
- Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening
- Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
- Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 12 months
|
N/A
|
17.49% – 25.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has a straightforward signup bonus that provides cash back as a statement credit when you reach its tiered spending requirements.
For example, you can earn $350 cash back after spending $3,000 in the first three months and an additional $400 when you reach $6,000 in spending in six months. That is a total of $750 cash back on a $9,000 spend.
If you happen to also own a Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards®, you could squeeze even more value out of that bonus. That’s because you’ll unlock the ability to turn that cash back bonus into Ultimate Rewards® points at one point per 1¢, which can be worth even more when redeemed for travel.
4.6
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 12 months
|
N/A
|
17.49% – 23.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
The latest addition to the Chase business credit card family, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card currently comes with a similar cash back signup bonus as its sibling, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, but with a lower minimum spend.
The minimum spend on this card is actually lower, but you also have less time to reach it.
And, like its sibling, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card can be paired with an Ultimate Rewards® earning card to turn that cash back bonus into significant travel value.
4.7
- Earn a $500 bonus when you spend $4,500 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere — with no limits or category restrictions
- No annual fee
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Rewards won’t expire for the life of the account
- Redeem your cash back rewards for any amount
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
17.49% – 23.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent
|
The Capital One Spark Cash Select signup bonus is a straightforward cash back redemption offer. Once you spend $4,500 in the first three months of account opening, you get a $500 bonus. This card also has no annual fee.
Best Credit Cards with Signup Bonuses of $200+
While the largest signup bonuses typically come as points or miles and require specific redemptions to reach their peak value, most of the smaller signup bonuses are of a simpler nature, mostly offered in the form of straight cash back.
In addition to being more straightforward to redeem, the smaller signup bonuses also have spending requirements that are significantly easier to attain, with most requiring $1,000 or less to earn a still-respectable bonus.
Consumer Credit Cards
Most consumer credit cards with signup bonuses in the $200 range are not only cash back cards, but some will even come without an annual fee. You’ll find a mix of flat-rate unlimited cash back cards, as well as some that offer bonus categories.
4.9
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
- Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishings purchases.
- If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% – 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- Contactless Cards – The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
|
18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offers a good mix of features in addition to a $200 signup bonus when you hit a reasonable spending threshold in the first three months. This card has no annual fee and offers plenty of opportunities to earn cash back.
You may select one category that earns 3% cash back, and can choose from staples such as dining, travel, online shopping, and home improvement, among others. You could easily bring in more than your signing bonus in cash back if you regularly use your card on purchases in one of those categories.
You also earn 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs and 1% on everything else. The cash back on your 2% and 3% categories is limited to $2,500, but the 1% on all other purchases is unlimited.
4.9
- Limited Time Intro Offer: Earn a $250 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% – 28.49%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
|
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
|
18.99% – 28.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
With the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card, the signup bonus comes in the form of a 1.5% cash back boost (for a total of 3%) on purchases in your first year up to $20,000 in spending. If you hit that spending threshold in the first year, you’re looking at $600 cash back from this card with no annual fee.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® also includes the additional 1.5% cash back on its tiered categories in the first year, as well. That means you can earn 4.5% on dining and drugstore purchases and a whopping 6.5% on travel purchases through Chase Travel.
After the first year, the cash back tiers revert back to their standard percentages, which include a base of 1.5% on all purchases. That can make this card a valuable long-term addition to your wallet.
4.8
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
Whether you enjoy preparing food at home or dining at your favorite restaurants, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card allows you to earn while you eat. In addition to a straightforward $200 signing bonus, the card offers unlimited 3% cash back on dining, at grocery stores, and on entertainment — including streaming services.
To earn the signing bonus, you just need to spend $500 in the first three months. If you’re like me, you could do that in a few weekly trips to the grocery store — and you’d also earn an additional 3% cash back on those purchases.
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card also provides 1% cash back on all other purchases, has no annual fee, and you never have to pick a category to earn cash back in.
4.8
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.24% – 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
0% 18 months on Balance Transfers
|
18.24% – 28.24% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good/Fair
|
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
The Citi Double Cash® Card provides its signing bonus in the form of 20,000 ThankYou® Points that you can redeem for $200 in cash back after meeting your minimum spend in the first six months. From there, this card also has a simple, and potentially lucrative, cash back structure.
You earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase, and an additional 1% cash back when you pay for those purchases. That means everything you buy could earn you 2% cash back, with no rotating categories, and no limits.
4.9
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
As is common with many signup bonuses from cash back cards, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card bonus can be simply redeemed for a statement credit for face value, among other options.
You can also take advantage of a 0% introductory APR offer to help you finance a big purchase and meet your signup bonus spending requirement.
Business Credit Cards
As is the trend with business credit cards, the spending requirements for even these smaller signup bonuses will typically be larger than those required by consumer cards. But, given that the average business spends more in a month than the typical consumer, they’re likely to be of similar attainability.
4.7
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- Buy above your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power. Make business purchases over your credit limit with no penalty or enrollments, and still earn cash back on those purchases. Terms apply.
- 0% introductory APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable APR applies
- Get an application decision in as little as 30 seconds
- $0 Annual Fee
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 months
|
N/A
|
17.49% – 27.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
The Blue Business Cash™ Card provides a similar cash back bonus as the Blue Cash Preferred® Card at $250, but you must meet the minimum spend requirement of $3,000 in the first three months.
Cardholders also earn 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in purchases each year, and 1% after, which could result in $1,000 or more if your business spends that much.
4.7
- Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account
- Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
25.24% (Variable)
|
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
|
Excellent, Good
|
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business offers a bonus of 50,000 miles after you meet the minimum spend. While that only equals $250 in cash back value, the card has some other features that could make it more valuable in the long term.
You earn unlimited 2X points on all purchases and 5X miles on anything you book through Capital One Travel.
Earn Huge Rewards as a New Cardholder
Whether you’re a credit card savant looking to maximize your rewards or an everyday consumer simply trying to make the most of a new card, there are dozens of solid options available for earning a nice signup bonus regardless of your budget and spending habits.
At the same time, it’s important to understand the potential perils of chasing signup bonuses. For example, you never want to charge more than you can afford to repay just to get a signup bonus; interest fees can add up quickly when you carry a balance, which can eat into your earnings — or even surpass them.
Furthermore, make sure you go for signup bonuses you can actually redeem for the best value. If you rarely travel, for instance, then some of the biggest signup bonuses may not actually hold more value than smaller cash back bonuses. You should also keep an eye on other potential costs, like annual fees, that can offset your bonus.
Finally, keep in mind that only new purchases will count toward your signup bonus. Other transaction types, such as balance transfers and cash advances, won’t earn purchase rewards or count toward the minimum spending requirements for signup bonuses. Plus, they often start accruing interest right away and come with extra fees, so do your research before making these types of transactions.
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CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.
Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
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